Wringer



Aug. 30, 1966 J. H. ASHLEY WRINGER Filed July 1e, 1964 INVEN JORDAN H. ASHLEY A T TURA/E Y r 3,269,157 Patented August 30, 1955 3,269,157 WRINGER Jordan H. Ashley, Graham, Tex., assgnor to Aqua-Air, Inc., Graham, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed July 16, 1964, Ser. No. 383,019 3 Claims. (Cl. 68-242) This invention relates to wringers for removing excess moisture from chamois, wiping cloths and the like.

Generally, the invention is directed to and has' for its primary object a simplified construction comprised of an upright casing having an opening in the top, a generally open bottom, a tubular membrane within the casing, which membrane is sealed to the casing and the top `and -bottom of the casing to provide a chamber therelbetween, and a manual control valve mounted on the side of the casing to supply air Lor other -iluid under pressure to the compartment and thereby squeeze the membrane inwardly on all sides. Thus, a moist rag or chamois placed in the container is thereby squeezed by the membrane and excess moisture drains through the substantially open bottom. One means of accomplishing the simplified construction is to make both the container and the membrane cylindrical, and another means for simplifying the construction is the provision of circular iianges within the top and bottom of the membrane, and which flanges are crimped along with corresponding portions of the container to provide an eliective economically constructed seal.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved simpliried manual control valve for applying pressure to the outer surface of the membrane and automatically releasing such pressure after the squeezing operation. With the exception of a balancing spring the improved and simplified manual control valve has a single moveable unit comprised of a stem and a rigidly mounted valve member and a rigidly mounted valve element thereon in spaced relation. Thus, the moveable unit may be made, with the exception of the seals, 'by a simple turning operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved simplilied construction whereby squeezing the membrane iirst at the top and then progressively downward is assured.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational and fragmentary sectional View of a wringer embodying the features of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG- URE 1, but showing the wringer in operation.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional View of the manual control valve and showing the same in its neutral position.

FIIGUR'E 4 is a sectional View similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the valve ste-m depressed so as to admit iluid pressure into the casing and around the membrane.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGURES 3 and 4, but showing the valve in its exhaust position.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the casing and membrane looking down and particularly showing the radial disposition of ribs within the membrane and the multiple openings in Ithe bottom of the container.

yFIGURE 7 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional view of the lower left portion of FIGURE 1 or FIGURE 2 and showing the position of the lower end of the membrane, the lower end of the container and the flange of the bottom member prior to crimping.

In the drawing, the numeral 10 generally designates an upright cylindrical casing which receives a generally wall of the membrane is somewhat reduced in diameter therearound, at 13, which construction has to do with assuring initial squeezing near the top of the membrane and thence downwardly as will be referred to in the following description of operation.

Within the upper end of the membrane 11 there is a circular cylindrical ring or flange 14 which engages the upper end of the membrane 11 with the upper end of the casing 10. To assure a fluid proof fit and to rigidly secure the upper end of the membrane, the casing 10 and iiange 14 are crimped, as at 15. Similarly, the lower end of the casing 10 and the lower end of the membrane 11 are provided with the range 16 of a perforated bottom 17, which iiange is also crimped to provide the liuid tight seal and to secure the lower end of the membrane. As best shown in FIGURE 6, the bottom 17 has numerous perforations 17a throughout its horizont-a1 area for quickly discharging excess moisture after the squeezing operation. Upper and lower channel shaped rims 18 and 19 tit over the upper and lower ends of the container 1i) and over the upper and lower rings or flanges 14 and 16.

As best shown in FIGURES 1 and 6, the inner wall of the membrane is provided with longitudinal inwardly extending spaced ribs 2t) which have to do with draining moisture during the squeezing operation. These ribs are integral with and of the same material as the membrane 11.

The manual control valve 21 is comprised of a cylindrical body 22 having a cylindrical bore, generally indicated at 23, and which valve body is parallel with the upright cylindrical casing 10. Intermediate the ends of the body 22 there is a lateral iitting 24, herein referred to as an operating port, connecting the area between the casing 1t) and the membrane 11 with the valve bore 23. A cap 25 is threaded in `the upper end of the body 22, and a valve stern 26 slidably extends therethrough. The lower end -of the stem 26 is always below the operating port 24 and is provided with a piston like valve member 27 which is rigid with or integral with the valve stem. The bore 213 is of reduced diameter immediately below the operating port 24 to provide a `cylinder 28 in which the valve element 27 operates during certain phases of operation. That portion of the bore 23 beneath the cylinder 28 is enlarged to provide a bypass chamber 29, and an inlet fitting `30 is connected with the lower end of said chamber. The fitting 30 is also herein referred .to as the valve inlet. Immediately above the operating port 24 there is an enlarged diameter in the bore 23, which diameter serves as a cylinder 31 for a piston like valve element 32; and immediately above the cylinder l311 there is a further enlarged diameter which serves as an exhaust chamber 33. The valve element 32 is rigid -with or integral with the stern 26 and the spacing thereon is such that when the valve element I32 is in its lowermost position the valve member 27 is in and spaced from the walls of the bypass chamber 29. Conversely, when lthe valve member 27 i-s in its uppermost position, .the valve element 32 is in lthe enlarged exhaust chamber 63, and thereby communicates the operating port 24 with `an exhaust port 3'4 in the side of the last said chamber. A balancing compression spring 35 is mounted around the stem 26 and bears against the cap 25 and the valve element 32. The compression of the spring 25 is such that the valve 21 normally assumes a closed neutral position as shown in FIGURE 3 with t-he valve member 27 and the valve element 32 in their respective cylinders 28 and 31. Details shown in the drawing include a knob 316 on the upper end of the stem 26 and a supply hose 37 connected with the inlet fitting 30.

In operation, the chamois or rag to be squeezed is dropped in the top of the container y10 an-d the valve stem -2-6 is pushed down by means 4of the knob 36. Fluid under pressure is then admitted to the area between the inner wall casing and the outer wall membrane 11 through the operating port 24. It is to be noted, `as shown in IFIGURE 4, that the iiuid under pressure moves through the bypass .chamber 219 around the valve member 27 and thence through the operating port 24, the central bore 23 being closed above the `operating port by the valve element 32. Action of the iuid pressure within the container iirst acts upon the membrane at its circumferential reduced diameter 13 and continued pressure `then squeezes the membrane progressively downwardly, thus `squeezing excess moisture -from the chamois 38. After the maximum volume of fluid has been received within the container, continued pressure received through the inlet 30 acts upon the valve element 32 and moves the same upwardly against the c-ompression spring 3S. -In this connection it is to be noted that the diameter of the valve ele-ment y32 is greater than the diameter of the valve member 2'7. Upward movement of the stem 26 causes the valve member 27 to be received Within the cylinder 28 and the pressure against that member and pressure from the container 10 against the valve element 32 moves the ste-m upwardly and allows pressure from the container to escape through the exhaust port 34. With the pressure in the container thus relieved, the balancing spring 35 returns the valve element 32 and the valve member 27 to their normal closed positions.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A Wringer comprising: a vertical circular cylindri- `cal casing, a substantially cylindrical resilient membrane Areceived within said casing, means securing said membrane laround its peripheral ends only to the ends of ysaid casing, a substantially open botto-rn across the lower end 0f said casing, an operating port in the wall of said 40 casing, said membrane being of reduced thickness cir- `cuinferentially therearound and above its axial center where-by said membrane will initially collapse above said center when a pressure iiuid is introduced through said operating port, and radially disposed spaced longitudinal resilient ribs on the inner surface of said membrane.

2. A wringer as defined in claim 1, and wherein said means securing said membrane at its ends to the ends of said casing is comprised of -a circular flange in each end of said membrane, and wherein said iianges and the ends of said container are crimped around the ends of said membrane.

3. In combination with a wringer as deiined in cl-aim 1, a manually operated control valve comprising a body having a bore therein, inlet and exhaust ports in said body communicating with the ends of said bore, a lateral port in said body between said inlet and said exhaust ports communicating with said operating port in the wall .of said casing, a stem lreceived in said bore and extending outwardly of said body at the end of said bore opposite said inlet port, cylinders in said bore on opposite sides of said lateral port, enlarged chambers in said bore .adjacent and in communication with said inlet port and said exhaust port, pistons rigidly mounted on said `stem and slidably moveable in said cylinders, the spacing `of said pistons relative to each other being such that said pistons are received in their respective said cylinders rwhen said valve is in its off position and one of said pistons is in one or tthe `other .of said enlarged chambers when said valve is in other than its of position, and `spring means normally urging said stern land said pistons toward the end of said bore including said inlet port.

References Cited by the Examiner LOUIS O. MAASSEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WRINGER COMPRISING: A VERTICAL CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL CASING, A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL RESILIENT MEMBRANE RECEIVED WITHIN SAID CASING, MEANS SECURING SAID MEMBRANE AROUND ITS PERIPHERAL ENDS ONLY TO THE ENDS OF SAID CASING, A SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN BOTTOM ACROSS THE LOWER END OF SAID CASING, AN OPERATING PORT IN THE WALL OF SAID CASING, SAID MEMBRANE BEING OF REDUCED THICKNESS CIRCUMFERENTIALLY THEREAROUND AND ABOVE ITS AXIAL CENTER WHEREBY SAID MEMBRANE WILL INITIALLY COLLAPSE ABOVE SAID CENTER WHEN A PRESSURE FLUID IS INTRODUCED THROUGH SAID 